Autumn Leaves and Golden Kisses
by thewaywelivenow
Summary: She stepped forward, took a deep breath and smiled before fluttering her eyelids closed and kissing him gently on the lips. AU but it doesn't really affect the story.


Autumn Leaves and Golden Kisses

They had met in autumn when the leaves were browning and crisp, the smell of fresh pine wood clinging to the air. Deciding to lie down underneath a young but large oak tree, they had looked up at the cloudless blue sky and opened their mouths in awe then laughed and pointed at each others inspired faces. Later on, a smirk forming on her mouth, she had tickled him relentlessly under the chin until he had whacked her with a nearby stick that broke on contact with her skin.

"That wasn't very nice," she had said.

"It broke!" he had exclaimed, checking for a mark on her arm. "See," he had said shoving her arm under her nose, "no mark." As if this settled the matter he had crossed his arms and turned so his back was facing her.

She put her hands on his eyes and said, "So, that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt!"

"Yes it does, you know it does," he had said, nodding his head but removing her hands from his eyes so he could turn back around.

She had stuck her tongue out at him at frowned. "Well it hurts,"

"Really?"

"Yeah,"

"I'm sorry,"

She grinned "You will be," she had said and she had pushed him over hard before she had ran away screaming.

"You're in for it,"

He had ran straight after her, as fast as he could, his legs burning. He had reached her leaning against a small tree, bits of dead leaves stuck in her hair. He had grabbed her middle and brought her down to the floor so they were both lying down, fighting.

She'd grabbed his hair tightly and pulled it so he had to hit her hand away in case some of it came out. In retaliation she had begun to kick him, not too hard but fiercely. He had tried to block the kicks with his hand but he had met with too much force so he had joined in and kicked her back. Starting to laugh, their legs had become to tired to move anymore so he had turned to leaning over her and tickling her under her armpits. Instead of fighting back she had simply let him, her squealing shrieks begging him to stop. Eventually laughter had over took them both and he had stopped, instead sitting up and letting the laughter spill from him. They then had both looked at each other and then had eyed a pile of autumn leaves not far from them. He had got up and scooped as many leaves as he could in his arms and sat back down, placing them in the centre of where they were sitting. Grinning at each other, they had each reached out for some leaves and thrown them up in the air, watching them fall lightly to the grassy floor. In a moment, they had both stood up and had proceeded to reach down for the rest of the leaves, throw them in the air then run through the leaf mist cackling like old wicked witches. After all the leaves had fallen and there were no leaves left in the pile for them to throw, he'd offered her his hand and they'd both sat down again.

"That was a horrid thing to do,"

"Horrid?" he had asked, his eyebrow cocked.

She'd swatted his arm. "Yes, horrid."

"Yeah well you deserved it, you pushed me over!"

She had pulled a face of indignation. "You hit me really hard with a really big stick! It wasn't very nice,"

"I didn't mean for it to hurt, I guess I'm just so strong," he'd said pulling a pouting pose and flexing his right arm to show off his muscle.

"Yeah right, sure you are," she had said, rolling her eyes. "I can see your muscle from here,"

"Well you are quite far away aren't you,"

"I'm right next to you," she had said, shaking her head.

"Yeah, well…" he'd trailed off.

"You want to go get some orange juice?" she'd asked him, about to stand up.

"Will it have ice?" he had asked as he was beginning to get a little sweaty.

"Defiantly,"

"Then I'm in,"

They had ran back across the filed trying unsuccessfully to bump into each other so instead they had concentrated on trying to make the other one trip over. With him trying to kick at her feet and her simply trying to push him over, by the time they reached the chalk white cottage that was her rented vacation house, they had both been tripped up and had fallen to the floor twice. They had ran, laughing, through the pile of rotting leaves that her mother had just spent ages building, too tired to jump over it. Racing to the back of the house and into the kitchen, they'd skidded on the checked floor on sat down sat the wooden table on high light wood chairs. After placing their hands on the top of the table, they'd stared at the girl's mother who, after hearing them scramble in had looked up, a cloth in her hand. She had smiled and asked them if they had wanted a drink.

"Orange juice please," the girl had said, "with ice!" as an afterthought.

Her mother had brought them over two tall glasses filled with cold orange juice and many ice cubes.

"Enough ice for you, you little madam?"

"Yes, thank you,"

"Are you two enjoying your day?" her mother had asked them, smiling.

As an answer, they both had nodded animatedly then turned their attention to their drinks.

The girl's mother had laughed slightly before saying, "Well I'm going to go in the living room, don't drink your drinks too fast, you'll get indigestion,"

They had both nodded vaguely, not really listening to anything except the gulps of the other.

After finishing his drink and slumping down on his chair he had suddenly exclaimed, "Nothing's moving!"

She had looked puzzled but then she had sat up taller, "That's because this isn't our house, we're just on holiday here so that my dad can be near his university as well as sunbathe," she'd said with a giggle.

"Oh," he had said, "okay."

After she had placed her empty glass on the table, he had suggested playing a game outside, "Because it's so sunny," being his reasoning.

"But what shall we play?" she had asked, wanting to stay in her vacation house's garden and slurp ice lollies with this boy she had only just met this morning.

"A ball game," he had said, "Do you have any brooms?" he had asked, his face lighting up.

Not wanting to disappoint him but thinking his request strange she had said, "In the cupboard I think, but there's only one,"

"Oh, right," he had said looking a little let down. "Oh well, we can play 'Catch'!"

She had sighed softly but so he couldn't hear. "Okay,"

He'd grabbed her arm and smiled. "Let's go."

Once in the field again they both soon had fun running up and down trying to catch the ball, sometimes falling over or getting hit by an awry ball. The girl had chucked the ball rather pathetically into a puddle of golden leaves so the boy had dived into it and fetched the ball so he could throw it back at her. Unfortunately, his aim had been off balance and the ball had flown down to the other side of the field.

The girl, coming to stand next to him had said in a slightly annoyed tone, "That wasn't to me,"

"Sorry about that, I don't know what happened, it just went the other way when I threw it,"

"It doesn't matter, do you want to go get it?"

"Why me?"

"You threw it!"

"Exactly, I need a rest, you go get it,"

"No, that's not fair, don't be mean,"

"Fine, let's both go,"

"Okay."

So they had ran togther down the field once again to go relive the ball form its hiding place.

Once at the bottom of the field, their eyes couldn't see the ball. No hint of green was to be seen.

"Can you see it?" the girl had asked the boy, hopeful that he had so they could continue their game.

"No, can you?"

"No."

They looked around once more. "Do you think its near that tree?" the boy asked pointing to the oak tree they had laid under earlier in the day.

"Let's go look."

They had reached the tree again in record time and had ducked down to avoid its vicious branches so they could get to its trunk. After looking around and moving the dead leaves and bits of earth out the way for a few solitary minutes, the girl had shouted loudly.

"Found it!"

She'd picked it up from under a piece of rough bark and put it into the boys outstretched hand.

The boy had examined the ball for any scratches and just as they had turned to leave, he had bent down to pick up a grey, sharp edged piece of stone.

"What you doing?" the girl had asked.

Bu the boy had simply motioned for her to accompany him walking to the very base of the tree.

"Do you think we should?" he had asked her as they had reached their destination.

"Do what?"

He looked at the sharp edge of the stone then at the soft bark of the tree. "Do you?"

"You mean cut into it?"

He nodded.

"But why? What's the point?"

"Why not? Come on,"

When the girl had still looked unsure he'd asked her, "Have you had a good time today?"

"The best," had been her answer.

"Me too, and don't you think we should be able to remember it?"

"We will do anyway," she had pointed out.

"Yeah but we might not," he had reasoned.

She had scrunched up her face before nodding, "Okay, but what shall we put?"

He had whispered in her ear and they both had smiled with her giggling, pleased with what it would be.

After the boy had used his stone to chip away at the tender bark of the tree, he'd stepped back to admire his work, large wood shavings at his feet.

"Perfect," he said.

"Yes," the girl had said, "perfect."

The boy had then looked abruptly to the sky that was darkening quickly. "I've got to get back!" he had exclaimed, "my mum will be going crazy,"

The girl looked had at him, her face falling, "Do you want me to get my mum to take you home?"

"No, don't worry, I only live not far away,"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, positive,"

There was then an small awkward moment in which they both had looked at each other.

"Well, I'd better get going," he said and he moved forward as if to go but then he stopped and steeled himself.

He had then awkwardly brushed his lips lightly against her cheek before running off into the distance, scattering autumn leaves in every direction, his echoing footsteps being the only thing about that day that had become lodged in her mind.

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It was daybreak during the summer holidays and they were in a large grassy field underneath the wooden arms of a oak large tree.

"Do you remember?" he asked her, his illuminated face and voice hopeful.

Hermione stared at the tree intently, determined to unmask the secrets it held. Shaking her head slightly she stared into his blue eyes for a moment before looking back at the now old oak tree, staring at the initials carved into the bark.

"HG + RW," she whispered, bring her hand up to touch the letters softly.

"We really wrote them?" she asked Ron.

Ron looked at her and nodded. "Ages ago, when we were young,"

She stared back at Ron before looking at the tree again. She bit her lip and an understanding flashed across her face.

Turning around so she was facing him she asked, "Ron?"

"Yeah?"

She stepped forward, took a deep breath and smiled before fluttering her eyelids closed and kissing him gently on the lips.

A/N: As you've probably noticed, this story is AU, but I don't think it really affects the story.

I just wanted to write a short and hopefully sweet piece, and this idea popped into my head.

For reference, the younger Ron and Hermione are about six or seven.


End file.
